


THE "FRANKLIN PAPERS" IN THE AMERICAN 
PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY. 

BY J. G. ROSENGARTEN. 



THE "FRANKLIN PAPERS" IN THE AMERICAN 
PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY. 

BY J. G. ROSENGARTEN. 

(Read April 3, 1903.) 

Tn the collection of this Society there are some seventy large 
folio volumes of " Franklin Papers." Franklin left all his papers 
to his grandson, William Temple Franklin, who, after a long inter- 
val, published in London and Philadelphia six volumes of Frank- 
lin's works. Of course, this represented but a small part of his 
papers. Those used in the preparation of Temple Franklin's 
edition are now the property of the United States, which has never 
yet printed a Calendar of them. Temple Franklin selected from 
his grandfather's papers those that he thought suitable for publica- 
tion, and left the rest in charge of his friend, Charles Fox, to 
whom he bequeathed them, and Charles Fox's heirs, in turn, after 
a long lapse of years, presented them to the American Philosophi- 
cal Society, in whose custody they have remained ever since. They 
have been roughly classified, and are bound in a rude and careless 
way. Under the present efficient Librarian, Dr. Hays, a Calendar 
is being made as fast as the limited means at his disposal will per 

Reprinted from Proceedings American Philosophical Society % Vol. xlii, X0.173. 



166 ROSENGARTEN — "PEANKLIN PAPERS." [Aprils. 

mit, and when that is completed, it is hoped that it will be printed 
as a useful guide to the miscellaneous matter collected here. 
Sparks and Hale and Ford and Parton and Fisher and others who have 
written about Franklin have used them, but even jthe most indus- 
trious student may well be appalled at the labor required to master 
all the contents of these bulky volumes, representing Franklin's 
long and many-sided activity. 

He kept copies of most of his own letters and the originals 
addressed to him, often endorsing on them the heads of his replies. 
These volumes contain papers from 1735 to 1790 — the first forty- 
four volumes letters to him; the forty-fifth, copies of his own let- 
ters; the forty-sixth, his correspondence with his wife; the forty- 
seventh and forty-eighth, his own letters from 17 10 to 1 79 1 ; the 
forty-ninth, his scientific and political papers ; the fiftieth, his 
other writings — notably his Bagatelles, those short essays which 
had such a vogue and are still read ; the fifty-first, poetry and 
verse, his own and that of others, no doubt selected by him for use 
in his publications; the fifty-second, the Georgia papers — he was 
agent for that colony ; and the remaining twenty volumes, all the 
multifarious correspondence, other than official, mostly during his 
long stay in France, his various public offices at home and abroad, 
his enormous correspondence about appointments from men of all 
nationalities, who wanted to come to America, under his patronage, 
to fight, to settle, to teach, to introduce their inventions, for every 
imaginable and unimaginable purpose. 

Both in England and France he kept all notices of meetings, 
such as those of the Royal Society and other scientific bodies of 
which he was a member, invitations, visiting cards, notes, business 
cards, etc., and at home lie kept copies of wills, deeds, powers of 
attorney, bonds, agreements, bills, etc., and drafts, ehecques, 
bills of lading, public accounts, and even certified copies of Acts 
of Congress, and account books, and, in addition, Temple Frank- 
lin left eight volumes of letters to him from 1775 to 1790. 

In this mass of material his biographers have found much that 
was of value, but there remains almost untouched the interesting 
correspondence of his friends in England during the years before 
and those of the War of Independence. There are examples of his 
own (lever /r//r (? esprit in the " Intended Speech for the Opening 
of the Parliament in 1774," in which the king himself is made to 
foretell the "seven or ten years' job" that his "Ministers have 



1903.] ROSEXGARTEX — " FRAXKLIX PAPERS." 167 

put upon him to undertake the reduction of the whole Continent of 
North America to unconditional submission." His friend Hartley 
sent it to him in 1786, when the prophecy had been fully realized. 
Again in 1778 he received a full report of the famous dying speech 
of Chatham, and of that of Lord Shelburne in his defense of the 
American cause. 

During these eventful years, his correspondents in England and 
in the Colonies kept him well informed both of the actions and 
plans of the Government and of the Opposition. Some of these 
may be of interest as showing how earnestly both sides were pre- 
sented to him that he might use his influence to maintain peace. 
Priestley, who was then the Secretary of Lord Shelburne, writes 
from London, in February, 1776, with a due report of political and 
scientific information, and Lee and Wayne write to him during the 
campaign which was to end in Burgoyne's surrender, and thus 
contribute largely to the alliance with France, which owed so 
much to Franklin's influence not only with the French Court and 
French statesmen, but with the philosophers and the people. 

His correspondence in Paris is a perfect picture of the time. 
One day he gets an invitation to attend experiments in electricity 
from a correspondent, Brogniart, who reports the successful treat- 
ment of sick people by electric fluid, in 1778, and soon after the 
Cure of Damvillers asks him for a cure for dropsy for one of his 
parishioners. One writer submits a plan for eliminating poverty in 
the United States, and Turgot asks what method Franklin advises 
for burning smoke and thus diminishing the consumption of wood, 
which was steadily getting dearer. Then comes from London an 
offer to disclose a method of refining common salt and using it to 
cure and preserve flesh and fish, for the modest fee of 2000 
guineas. Genet, afterwards so well known from his troublesome 
career as French Minister in this country, reports progress made in 
August, 1778, in translation of the Pennsylvania Gazette accounts 
of battles for the French papers, and the same mail brings a letter 
asking Franklin's approval of mechanical and mathematical prob- 
lems, and for news of Fouquet, Master Gunpowder Maker at York, 
Pa. Brogniart invites him to witness new experiments in elec- 
tricity, and soon after he is told of a plan of six or eight Germans, 
men of letters and prominent position, to go to America to found a 
college, where the instruction can be given in Latin until the 
teachers have mastered English. He receives poems and eulogies 



168 ROSENGARTEN — " FRANK LIN PAPERS.'' [April 3, 

in all languages, and offers to write histories of the new Republic, 
provided Franklin will furnish material, maps, etc. Then comes a 
request to look into an invention to reunite broken bones in all 
cases of fracture. The Palatinate Academy of Sciences, at Mann- 
heim, sends its works dealing with electricity, etc., and Urges 
establishing a German Scientific Society in Philadelphia. 

A man and wife, with six children and six farm laborers, desire 
to settle in America, and ask Franklin to get Congress to give 
them land near Philadelphia, enough for the support of twenty 
persons, their connections. Franklin notes that his reply was that 
land was so cheap in Pennsylvania, that there was no need to apply 
to Congress. 

Then came an offer to establish a Swiss clock and watch factory 
at Boston or Philadelphia. Even Franklin's patience was tried by a 
request to explain the right of America to assert its independence, 
for on this letter he endorsed " Impertinent." 

The letters are a perfect picture of Franklin's busy social life in 
Paris, with politics, science, literature, war, privateering, all repre- 
sented in his correspondence. 

There are many letters from John Paul Jones about his naval 
exploits, and frequent appeals for help in securing the release of 
prisoners captured at sea, for help to return them and other Ameri- 
cans in distress to their homes. Dr. Price writes from London to 
know if it is true that Washington is grown unpopular, and that his 
army deserts in great numbers, and that the suffering in America is 
excessive. William Strahan reminds Franklin that in 1763 he spoke 
of America as England's strongest ally and of France as that per- 
fidious nation. Vaughan sends to Chaumont (who reports it to 
Franklin) a message of greeting for their friend who always carried 
spectacles on his nose and kingdoms on his shoulders. 

His correspondence came from England and from all parts of 
the Continent and from the West Indies in an unending stream. 

A very curious letter is one from Richard Penn, dated London, 
October 20, 1778, which I think has never been printed : 

"Dear Sir; — Nothing but necessity could have induced me to 
take the liberty of begging your attention for a few moments, from 
those various and important affairs with which you are entrusted, 
and which you have executed with so much reputation to yourself 
and advantage to your country ; at the same time I am aware that 
the name subscribed will net at first sight bring you much in favour 



1003.1 ROSEXOAKTEX — " FRANKLIN TAPERS." 169 

of the writer. Nevertheless I have too high an opinion of your 
character to imagine that any misunderstanding which might for- 
merly have subsisted between you and any part of my family, in 
which I myself could have had no share, will not at all prejudice 
you against me and in any degree withhold you from lending me 
your advice and perhaps assistance upon the present occasion. I 
flatter myself I have some slight ground to go upon in this case, 
which I own I am most willing to catch at. 

" I am married to your late ward, the eldest Miss Masters, and 
have now living with me her younger sister, still under age, and, 
of course, in a manner claiming your patronage, as well as their 
mother, the widow of your late friend. From this connection it is 
well known that I possess a very considerable property in the city 
of Philadelphia and its environs, besides two or three valuable 
estates of my own in the Province of Pennsylvania, a whole un- 
divided Proprietary of New Jersey; yet with all this property, I 
have not been able for more than two years past to procure one 
shilling from that country, nor have during that time so much as 
received a line from my friend and agent, Mr. Tench Francis, who 
it is probable has at this time a handsome sum of money belonging 
to me in his hands. The purse I brought with me to England is 
nearly exhausted, tho' it has been managed with the strictest 
economy. I have not yet tried, nor would I willingly at present, 
what American security would produce in this country. 

" I should think myself infinitely obliged to you if you could 
point out to me in what manner I could procure either from 
America, or in any other way, a temporary subsistence. I have 
not a doubt but that in time matters will turn out much to the 
advantage of everybody concerned and connected with that country. 

" Let me entreat you to favor me with an answer to this letter 
under cover to my Bankers, Messrs. Barclay, Bevan & Co., No. 56 
Lombard street, in doing which you will lay a lasting obligation 
upon one of the many who revere your character and admire your 
abilities. 

" Give me leave to subscribe myself, Dear Sir, 
" Your very sincere friend, 

" Richd. Penn." 

When it is remembered that the hostility of the Penns to Frank, 
ltn was so strong that Governor John Penn declined to be Patron 



170 RGSEXGARTEN — "FRANKLIN PAPERS." [April3, 

of the American Philosophical Society because it had chosen 
Franklin for its President, and that Richard Penn had been 
Lieutenant Governor (as Deputy for that uncle and his brother) 
from i 771 to 1773, it must have been difficult for Franklin not to 
feel that such a letter from such a man was indeed a tribute to his 
position, achieved solely by his own efforts. 

From this mass of correspondence, I have selected some letters 
showing the state of public opinion in New England in 1774, 
and from London in 1775, including a characteristic letter from 
Priestley and from Charles Lee and Wayne in the field. Much 
more might be printed to show how well Franklin kept in touch 
with all that was of interest during his long and busy career. It is 
well that this venerable Society, so largely the result of his labors, 
should be made the custodian of the papers that follow almost his 
daily thoughts, and it is to be hoped that the preparation and pub- 
lication of a Calendar showing their contents may be completed 
at no distant day, certainly by the two hundredth anniversary of 
the birth of our founder, and thus perpetuate his memory. 

Franklin's legacy to the Philosophical Society was ninety-one 
volumes of the History of the Rojat Academy of Sciences at Paris, 
thus helping that collection of publications of scientific societies 
that make so valuable a portion of its Library. 



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